Tiling and the like



June 18, 1935. e. H. LENKE TILING AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 28, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l G. H. LENKE ZWDSAZ? TILING AND THE LIKE June 118, R93

Filed Sept. 28, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 15 term that, may b i stall d i a simple a to certain members as vertical members and '15 Patented June 18, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TILING AND THE LIKE George H. Lenke, Eln'ihurst, Ill., assignor of onehalf to Julius J. -()hlis, Oak Park, Ill.

Application September 28,1933, Serial No. 691,293 8 Claims. (Cl. 72-19) My invention relates to tiling and the like, Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical and contemplates an improved tiling system in section; which the tiling is applied and secured in place Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view; without cement or exposed metal parts; a tiling Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail section;

5 system that may be installed rapidly and inex- Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing 5 pensively; a tiling system in which the tiles are another embodiment of the invention; locked in place by attaching members secured tou e 6 is a pe spective view, pa ti broken the desired wall or other surface and concealed away, of O Of t tile members p y in the from view when the tiles are applied; a tiling embodiment of Figure and system in which it is unnecessary to grind the Fi ure i a f m n ry p p c ive view 10 edges of the tiles to give even joints as has been h win one f he at a hin mem r o Fi ure the case where the tiles have been cemented in 5 d the manner o ecu t e tile members place; a tiling system in whi h th finished 5 to the wall or other surface therewith. fa e is smooth and easily cleaned; a tiling sys- It is to be understood that where I refer herein a tiling system which eliminates the necessity Other members as herizontal members, s ha and labor of providing a plastic bonding on th reference merely to the particular arrangement wall, ceiling or other surface; a tiling system illustrated in the drawings, and the disposition which is self-centering and self-squaring; a tiling Of these m e may be v d erwise system having attaching members of spring-like varied from that shown and described without de- 20 character whereby the tiles are protected to a Parting, from the Spirit a Scope of y Present large extent from breakage or disalignment due onto vibration or settling of the building structure; R fe n first t F ur s 1 0 i us ve, th a, tiling system which, when applied, presents structure therein illustrated comprises generally outer surface having no visible means of attachthe Vertical attaching members t e mbers 25 ment; and a system having a replacement method 6 and pa embers I. I and parts for replacement of broken tile. The attaching members 5 are formed of metal. The tiling system which I shall describe here- Each has an Outstanding p d ue 01' inafter, in connection with the drawings, is tenoh 9 c mp a neck flanged outwardly adapted for use on bathroom and kitchen walls o ppo id of its ou er end to provide 30 and ceilings, or on any other wall, ceiling or the flat head H, the sides of which are engageable surface as suitable r desired, in vertical grooves I2 in the opposite vertical The tiling system of my present in ti may edges of adjacent tiles 6 to lock the tiles securely be use with glass tiles, hich may be l in place upon the .wall or surface l3. At opposite pressed or otherwise formed, and it may be u ed Sides of the head II, the metal forming the mem- 35 with tiles, panes or panels of composition such a her 5 is turned in at I4 toward the center of the ,"bakeiite", "micardov, or y other Suitable or head H where the inturned portions are brought preferred ,materiaL together and turned at right angles to form'the The number of tiles, panes or panels, as well as neck Ill. The inner ends of the intumed neck the shapes and proportions f the panels, and forming portions are turned outwardly at l5 to 40 the shape and proportion of the structure in its form the P and t Qutwardly turnefi entirety may vary according tothe particular inbase whims terminate f stallation or use to which the invention is put, 3333 125 22: 3:23: g 'ggg g gg $33525 g'g f gg cla'lms to be construed by the V-shaped portions l6 present. along their Nowflin. order to acquaint those. Skilled the outer margins, edges l8 for line contact with the back sides of the tile members 6. art the constructmn of the parts and the The attaching members 5 may be formed of manner of applying the tiling therewith, I shall Sheet metal pressed shape, or ,they may be describe a n Specific embodiments of the formed to shape by rolling, drawing, casting, vention in connection with the accompanying molding, extruding, or otherwise as desired, dedrawings, in which: pending, in many instances, upon the particular Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of material'selected for use. Each of these members a tiling system embodying my present invention 5 preferably has some springiness as, for example, showing the manner of applying the tiles; by making the members of suitable spring metal.

desired spring-like character.

This springiness with the formation of the V- shaped portions 6 gives the seating wings the The spring-like action of these ,tile seating portions holds the tile members inplace without looseness and, at-

sired form, or they may be formed of composi-' tions such as bakelite or, micardo, or of any other suitable or preferred material. In the illustrated embodimentsthe tile members are of generally square flat formation, but they may be elongated arid of other forms as already pointed out. In the embodiment of Figures 1,to 4, each piece of tile 6 has the groove l2 extending through the entire length of each of its opposite vertical edges 2|, and each of the horizontal edges 22 of y,

each tile has a groove 23 extending throughout the length of the same, for a purpose which will presently appear.

Between the horizontal edges of the tile members 5 are disposed the spacer members I. These spacer members I are formed of metal, preferably sheet metal, similar to the. attaching members 5, and the material and formation of the members I may be varied in the manner of the variations referred to in connection with the attaching members 5. Each is of generally-T-shaped form having the neck 25 flanged outwardly'from opposite sides of its outer end to provide the flanged or fiat head 25, the sides of which are engageable in the horizontal grooves 23 in theedges 22 ofadjaeent' tiles to lock the tiles secure;

ly in place \upon the wall or surface i3.v At the opposite sides of thehead 25, the metal forming ,the members I is turned in at 2'l toward the center of the head 26 where the inturned portions are brought together and turned at right angles to form the neck 25.

The inner tongues 28, along the mortises or grooves 23 in the horizontal edges of the tiles 6, may be somewhatshorter than the outer'tongues 29 to accommodate the necks 25 of the spacer members 1 without undue separation at 30 between the edges .22 of the tiles. Similarly, the inner tongues 32, along the mortises orgrooves I2 in the vertical edges 2|, may be shorter than the outer tongues .33-to accommodate the necks ill of the attaching members 5 without undue separation at 35 between the outer edges 2| of the tiles. Cement or pther suitable plastic material 36 may be employed for pointing the joints between the outer vertical edges 2| and the outer horizontal edges 22.

The means. for. securing the. attaching members 5 to the rough wall, ceiling, or-other surface l3, are indicated at 38. In the illustrated embodiment, these securing'means 38 are in the form of nails driven through openings in the base portions I5 into the wall, ceiling, or other surface, and headed at their outer ends for cooperation with the base portions |5 of the meme ber 5. Wood screws may be employed-instead of nails, particularly in application of the tiling to a ceiling, and the screws may be secured to the stud strips: or other suitable part of the wall, ceiling, or other surface. Other manners of and means for attaching the strips or members 5 to the desired surface may, of course, be employed. In fact, the particular form of attaching means will be governed by the type of surface and the material-to be attached thereto.

Erection or installation is as follows:

The lower ends of the attaching members are first nailed, screwed, or otherwise secured to the wall, ceiling, or other surface II, or to the studding or framing therefor, in parallel spaced relation to receive and lock the tile members 5 in place; In the case of a wall or other vertical surface, these members 5 "are preferably arranged vertically, as shown, although it is to be understood that they may be arranged horizontally or otherwise as desired.

The lower or first tile members 5 are then interlock'ed with the flanges or heads at the outer ends of the tongues or tenons 9 and are slipped into place. These lower or.flrst tile units 5 may be squared and leveled, and thereafter the construction is self-centering and self-squaring. The attaching members 5 are secured in place and the tiles 5 applied thereto, preferably in alternate progression, the attaching members {being preferably secured or fastened in place distances of about one' or two tiles ahead of the application of each tile. This leaves the attach ing members 5 above-the tiling as it is built up on the wall free so that they may be spread as shown, for example, at 40 in Figure 1, to receive the tile members which are then slipped downwardly to position adjacent the previously applied tile. This eliminates the necessity of slipping the tile members into place from the extreme upper ends of the members 5.

Where the spacer members I are employed, they are applied to the upper edges of the tiles 5 and between the pairs of attaching members 5, preferably after application of the lower tiles and before applying thetiles which overlie the same. In other words, the tiles 5 and. spacers I are set up alternately between the attaching members 5 with the flanges or sides of the heads 26 of the spacers in interlocking engagement with the grooves or mortises 23 in the horizontal edges.

of the tiles. The length of each spacer 11s equal to the distance between the heads ll of the attaching members 5, and their opposite ends abut the opposing edges of the heads or. flanges II and space the members 5. The construction is thus self-centering and self-squaring and assures a uniformly pleasing, smooth and regular appearance when the tiling is completed. The

spacers I may be omitted if desired, in which case the tiles may be set up directly upon one another vertically. In such case, the cooperating upper and lower edges of the tile members may be provided with cooperating mortises and tenons for interlocking and joining the same together.

although this. too, may be omitted.

The pointing of the joints with cement suitable plastic material at 35 may be done after completing the erection or installation of the til-'- these strips back against and securing same to the surface l3. The strips 5 may be extended above the tiles for purposes ofattachment, and the extending ends may be covered as suitable or desired. 4

or other For the purpose of replacing broken tile, or tile which for any other reason it is desired to replace, I provide a special replacement tile and attachment means therefor, as shown in Figure 4. This replacement tile 6' is formed of glass or other material corresponding to the material of the tile 6 which it is to replace, and is shaped and dimensioned to conform with the shape and dimensions of the tile 6. The grooves l2 correspond with the grooves l2 of the tile 6, and the outer tongues 29', along said grooves, correspond with the outer tongues 29 of the tiles 6. The inner tongues 28' are shorter than the inner tongues of the tiles 6 to provide space and clearance for the attaching members 42.

The attaching members 42 have U-shaped portions 43 fitted around the tongues 28 withthe outer folded sides 44 of'the U-shaped portions fitting in the grooves l2, and the inner folded portions 45 fit around "the inner sides of the tongues 28'. The inner side of each folded portion 45 has an extension 46 turned outwardly toward the front of the tile and normally lying obliquely, as shown at the left hand side of Figure 4. The oblique extension 46 has springiness which permits it to be pressed toward the base of the U-shaped portion by engagement with the head ll of the attaching member 5 in applying the tile 6'.

Assuming that one of the tile members 6 has been broken and that it is desired to replace the same, the broken parts are removed and the replacement tile 6', with its attaching members 42 in place, is brought to position and pressed into the opening from which the broken tile has been removed. This pressing of the replacement tile into place causes the extensions 46 to engage the head H and to be pressed thereby toward the bases of the U-shaped portions 43. This permits the extensions 46 to clear the head or flange I I, and as these extensions move to position rearwardly of the head II and the back of the tile into engagement with the edges I8 of the tile seating portions I6, the extensions 46, due to their springiness, spring out to oblique position and into cooperation with the inner sides of the heads I l, as shown to the left in Figure 4, thereby locking the replacement tile securely in place behind the flanges of the original attaching members 5.

The attaching members 42 may be provided along the vertical and horizontal edges of the replacement tiles 6, or, if desired, they may be provided only along the vertical edges. Where such members are provided along the vertical edges of the replacement tile the extensions 46 snap behind and interlock with the head or flanged parts and where such members 42 are provided along the horizontal edges of the tile, the extensions 46 snap behind and interlock with the head or flanged parts 26 of the spacer members l. Where members 42 are omitted along any oneor plurality of the edges of the tile member, the relative short tongues 28 along such sides will clear the adjacent flanged or headed tenons in pressing the replacement tile into place.

In the embodiment of Figures 5,6 and 7, the tile attaching members 60 are in the form of corner pieces occuring only at the corners of the the tile members. As in the preceding embodiment, the tile members 6| may be formed of glass molded, pressed, or otherwise brought to the desired form, or they may be formed of bakelite" or micardo", or of any other suitable or preferred material. As before, they are of generally structure provided with such surface.

square flat formation, but they may be elongated I and of other forms as already pointed out.

The corner attaching members 66 are formed of metal, preferably of sheet metal having some springiness, although this may vary as in the preceding embodiment. Each has four outstanding T-shaped tenons 62 radiating ninety degrees apart from the center of the corner member. These tongues or tenons have neck portions flanged or headed at their outer ends at 63, as in the previous embodiment. The base portions 64 are turned out and nailed, screwed, or otherwise secured at 65 to the surface 66 or to the The opposite margins of the base portions 64 are provided with tile seating portions 68 which preferably have some springiness and seat along their edges 69 against the back sides of the tiles 6| to hold the tile members in place without looseness and, at the same time, to protect the tile members to a large extent from breakage or disalignment due to vibration or settling of the building structure.

Each tile member 6| is grooved along the edges 10, ll, 12 and I3 at the corners only, as shown at 14. In erection or installation, one of the corner members 66, or the first row of corner members, are first nailed, screwed, or otherwise secured to the surface 66, orto the structure having such surface. The tile members are then applied with the grooves 14 in interlocking engagement with the flanged heads 63 of the tongues or tenons 62, whereupon corner members are applied to the other meeting corners of the tiles 6| and secured to the surface or structure 66. Further tiles are then applied, whereupon further corner members and tiles are alternately applied to build up the desired tile surface. It is to be understood that, particularly after the first corner member or first series of corner members are applied and the tile members interlocked therewith, the further corner members which are applied may be secured to the surface or structure 66 only along the exposed sides of the tenons 62. This provides adequate attachment and enables interlocking these corner members with the tiles and securing the same in place upon the surface or structure 66 after interlocking engagement with the previously applied tile members.

As before, the embodiment of Figures 5, 6 and 7 has the same advantages as the previous embodiment, except that in Figures 5, 6 and '7 the tile members act as their own spacers. The tiling is applied and secured in place without cement or exposed metal parts, although the joints between the tile members may be pointed with cement or other plastic material at 80. As before, the tiling is installed rapidly and inexpensively, and the tiles are'locked in place by attachment members secured to the desired wall or other surface and concealed from view from the outer side by the tile members. It is unnecessary to grind the edges of the tile members to give even joints, the finished surface is smooth and easily cleaned, the tiles are protected to a large extent from breakage or disalignment due to vibration or settling of the building structure, and the necessity and labor of providing a plastic bonding on the wall, ceiling, or other surface, is eliminated.

Tiles which are broken or which, for any other reason, it is desired to replace, may be replaced in the manner of the previous embodiment. In

such case, attaching members similar to the 817- .taching members 42 of the previous embodiment may be applied to the tile members 8| along the grooved corners and in interlocking engagement with the'grooves l4, and the oblique extensions having the desired springiness may be snapped in behind the flanged heads 63 in pressing the replacement tiles into place. attaching members may extend along the corners only of all four sides of the tile member, or they may extend along only the comers of two opposite sides of the tile member if dwired.

I do not intend to be limited to the details shown and described.

I claim:

1. In combination, tile attaching members, and

tile members adapted to be interlocked with said attaching members having springiness and each comprising a base portion for attachment to the surface, an outstanding flanged tenon, and ob liqueiy disposed. tile seating spring portions disposed on opposite sides of said tenon, and tile members having grooved edges for interlocking with the flanged tenons of. said attaching members and seating at their back sides on said tile seating spring portions, the attaching members being spreadable for introduction of said tile members into interlocking engagement therewith. 3..In combination, a structure having a surface, tile members covering said surface, said tile members having grooved edges for a portion of their length only, and attaching members in the form of come; pieces having flanged tenons cooperating witli the grooves in the tile members for interlocking with the corners only of said tile members-and ed to said structure.

4. In combfiiation, a structure having a sur-' face, tile menibers covering said surface, said tile members having grooved edges fora portion of their length qily, and attaching members in the form of corner pieces having flanged tenons co- Such replacement operating with the grooves in the tile members for interlocking with the corners only of said tile members and secured to said structure, said attaching members being concealed'by said tile members from view from the outer side of said tile members.

5. In combination, tile attaching members, and tile members adapted to be interlocked with said attaching members and secured in place. by the interlocking engagement. with said attaching members, said attaching members springiness and provided with yieldable and-angular tile seating wings disposed on opposite sides of the interlocking engagement with the tile members and cooperating with the back sides of said tile members to provide a yieldable seat therefor and normally to urge said tile members yieldingly into firm, interlocking engagement with said attaching members.

6. As an article of manufacture, an attaching member for tiling and the like, said attaching member having a base portion for attachment to a support, said base portion being folded between its sides to form an outstanding tenon, said tenon being folded at its outer end to form a flanged head, and yieldable and angular tile seating wings disposed on opposite margins of said base portion for yieldingly seating tile members and the like and for yieldingly urging such tile members into flrm contact with said head.

7'. As an article of manufacture, an attaching member for tiling and the like, said attaching member having radiating arms each comprising a base portion for mounting upon a support, said base portions being folded between their sides to form outstanding tenons, said tenons being folded at their outer ends to form flanged heads, and yieldable and angular tile seating wings disposed on opposite margins of said base portions for yieldingly seating tfle members and the like and for yieldingly urging such tile members into flrm engagement with said heads.

, 8. As an article of manufacture, an attaching member for mortised tile members and the like,

said attaching member having a base portion for attachment to a support, an outstanding tenon on said base portion, a head at the outer end of said tenon, and yieldable oblique wings on said base portion at opposite sides of said tenon for yieldlike and yieldingly pressing said members into engagement with the head of the tenon anoma II. mun.

'ingly seating the mortised tile members and the 

